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Port Phillip Council’s heritage design guidelines say the top of a proposed extension, when measured from the existing building’s roof, cannot exceed a 10-degree angle.
Robson’s roof created an angle of up to 17.2 degrees, which VCAT deemed excessive despite the council using its discretion to approve the room’s height as it deemed the heritage streetscape was not completely intact.
“In many contexts, the proposed addition might be considered to be well concealed,” McDonald said in her ruling.
“However, the local heritage policy includes very specific policy guidelines for containing additions within certain sightlines.”
Ford said council’s failure to provide a more detailed report from their heritage assessor explaining their initial approval for Robson’s extension meant the tribunal reverted to the narrow sightline policy.
“I think this is the key area of heritage practice that most needs addressing to enable heritage to not act as an impost on densification,” he said.
Founder of the Heritage Network Victoria, Adam Ford, in front of the Coop’s Shot Tower blanketed in a beer ad.Credit: Eddie Jim
“We should be worrying less about the visibility of any additions in residential areas ... and instead be invested in much more detailed policy around how those additions must interface with heritage fabric.”
Ford said it still “simply isn’t true” that heritage stopped housing like the pro-development YIMBY movement suggested, as the tight sightline rules which stopped this development often only applied to small extensions.
Ethan Gilbert, deputy lead organiser at YIMBY Melbourne, conceded Robson’s scuppered proposal was not an example of the large-scale densification which the state government has pursued to boost housing and affordability.
But he argued it still showed heritage rules broadly failed to respond to the changing needs of households, such as those wanting to accommodate elderly or young relatives.
“It shows the heritage system is in desperate need of reform and doesn’t account for the needs of modern living,” he said.
The objector to Robson’s proposal did not respond to questions from The Age.
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Port Phillip Council’s heritage overlay for the Byron Street precinct argues it “is significant as the most intact, cohesive and varied evidence of Boom-period residential settlement in Elwood”.
In a statement, Mayor Louise Crawford said no changes to the planning scheme were expected in light of VCAT’s decision.
“Council’s decision reflected our planners’ view that the extension application fell within heritage provisions as, in their view, it was not an intact heritage streetscape given the different styles and eras of houses and flats in the street,” she said.
“Ultimately, VCAT placed a different weighting on the intactness and character of the street, and we accept its decision.
“We don’t believe this particular decision has wider implications for accommodating Melbourne’s growing population.”
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